Controversy over Jeong Dong-young’s solar power business flares up again? ... Ministry of Unification: “Nothing wrong with the minister’s remarks”

[Financial News] Questions have been raised over whether the solar power business owned by Minister of Unification Jeong Dong-young’s family was fully wound down, amid allegations of a conflict of interest.
However, a close aide to Minister Jeong said on the 13th that there was nothing to take issue with, saying, “I recall that the minister did not publicly say he would wind down all solar power businesses.” The Ministry of Unification took the same position. The aide also expressed regret that, following recent attacks by the conservative opposition over alleged left-leaning bias, people had gone as far as digging into the minister’s personal information.
Minister Jeong’s family is reportedly maintaining a provisional registration of a claim to transfer ownership of three plots of land near Bonghwa County, North Gyeongsang Province, in connection with its solar power business. The total area is 8,357 square meters, and the parcels are classified as dry fields and rice paddies. The provisional registration, established pursuant to a sale reservation dated December 29, 2023, has not been canceled to date.
The Ministry of Unification said, “At last year’s confirmation hearing, the minister said that he had ended the business by selling and transferring the assets of Bitnara Energy, which operated a solar power business at the beginning of the year.” The ministry’s explanation is that ending only Bitnara Energy’s business, rather than the solar power business as a whole, does not conflict with Minister Jeong’s previous remarks.
The Ministry of Unification also explained, “The continued provisional registration on land in Bonghwa County mentioned by some media outlets is unrelated to Bitnara Energy and does not contradict the minister’s previous remarks.”
At a confirmation hearing in July last year, Minister Jeong said, “Owning solar power facilities was demonized under the previous administration,” and argued, “When salaried workers are not adequately prepared for retirement, this is something that should be actively encouraged as a stable source of income.”
Minister Jeong also said that he had invested in solar power after losing an election five years ago and returning to his hometown, when the National Pension was his only source of income.
However, Minister Jeong previously acknowledged responsibility for failing to report a change to the registered address of solar power company Bitnara Energy, saying, “I am responsible for not reporting the change because the address changed several times.”

[email protected] Kim Kyung-soo Reporter